The visit
by BadgebunnyUK
Summary: Set somewhere during 3.2. Kate gets an unexpected visit. Short one off.


_A/N- Just a little scene that I've been playing out in my head and manged to get down when I couldn't sleep last night. _

The visit.

"Richard? Oh my god! What are you doing here?" Kate asked, breaking out into a genuine grin, one hand going to her mouth self consciously, the other still resting on the front door.

The tall man before her looked her over, his eyes fixing briefly on her middle before coming up to meet her eyes. He raised his hands defenselessly.

"I didn't...realise..." He explained, eyes again flicking to her tummy. "I heard you were getting married."

Kate took in his suit and his usual smart appearance, he had aged well, looking almost the same as when they had first met, apart from the tell tale grays at his temples, which actually served to make him look more distinguished.

Kate stepped back a little and invited him into the house. "Come in! Please..." She insisted.

Richard ducked into the house and moved after her into the room from which she had come.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you myself, about the wedding, it was just, last minute, she only asked me on Valentine's so...I should have called you though, I meant to. I wasn't sure if you were in the country?" Kate's words tumbled on.

Richard stood awkwardly at the edge of the room. "Sarah emailed me, I think she assumed I already knew, I supposed she thinks we still keep in touch."

They had, for a long time, it hadn't been the easiest split but they made some effort to remain civil and until Richard had met his second wife they had maintained some contact, dropped each other a line, mostly exchanging news about mutual friends, about work. When Richard met Cynthia things had simply petered out and Kate suspected that his new partner hadn't really approved of her.

Kate shrugged. "It has been a awhile." She agreed.

"And you've been busy." Richard nodded directly at Kate's protruding tummy now, something strange in his eyes.

Kate wrapped both arms loosely around her bump, shielding or hiding it guiltily. "Yeh, well...that all happened pretty quickly as well." She said honestly.

"I thought, you're?...You're getting married to someone from the school right? Caroline is it?" Richard asked.

"Yeh, Caroline. She's the head. She's at school now actually." Kate informed.

Richard nodded and Kate sat, indicating that he should do the same. He selected the other end of the sofa and sat down as lightly as he could.

"I'm not sure why I came really. Just that." He shook his head with a wry smile.

"What?" Kate asked curiously.

"It's stupid. I felt like I should come and check things out, check up on you, make sure you know what you;re doing. Make sure this Caroline's good enough for you. Sarah made out as if there had been some problems in the past and...I know it's not my place. But with your Dad the way he is...and your mum away, I thought someone should..."

Kate wasn't sure whether or not to be flattered. "I know what I'm doing." She told him.

He raised a brow in her direction, she knew what that look meant.

"I love Caroline." Kate assured. "She loves me, we're going to be a family..." Kate stopped herself, immediately regretting the words.

"I can see that..." He swallowed carefully. "I can't believe you didn't at least tell me about that...?"

"I was going to, but you know what it's like, I kept expecting, I still keep expecting..." Kate couldn't voice her fear, especially with Richard so close, bringing all the history, all the memories back with him. "and I kept thinking...I'll wait until I'm a little further along..."

He nodded, understanding her reasoning.

"And now it looks as if you're about to pop!" His tone a little lighter.

Kate smiled through the tremble in her chin. "Feels like it."

Richard turned his body slightly towards her now and looked unashamedly at her round tummy, he lifted a hand tentatively and flicked his eyes to Kate's face. "Could I?" He asked.

Kate nodded and watched as his fingers reached out to touch her belly, resting lightly on the top and then stroking a line around the curve. It felt strange, as if it was happening in another time, a time Kate had only imagined. Kate had never given this to her husband, though she had tried and tried.

Richard became shy as he perhaps realised the intimacy of the moment, with a woman he hadn't seen for at least a year but with whom he had shared so much, almost in another life.

"I should have known you'd never give up." It hadn't meant to sound bitter but Kate felt the accusation, the old charge.

"I had to give it one last try..." She sighed, feeling the familiar pains, like old wounds in the winter.

"I didn't think you'd ever...I'd ever see you like this." He confessed, rubbing at an imaginary stain on his palm. "It looks good on you." He added.

"Thank you." Kate told him as he went back to work on his palm. "How is Cynthia?" She asked next.

He looked up, relieved at the change of subject. "She's good, working a lot, nothing new there. We're taking a long holiday this year though, take some time out.."

Kate had not warmed to Cynthia, though she had tried. It had been difficult to see any woman in the role that she had once occupied, but especially Cynthia, who was so cool and efficient. Cynthia didn't want children she didn't particularly like the young ones. Kate had supposed that that had been part of her appeal. She was so different to Kate in every way.

"How long can you stay?" Kate asked now. "Caroline will be home soon, if you want to meet her?"

Richard's eyes went wide and he almost got up out of his seat right away.

"Perhaps another time? I should be getting back." He excused.

Kate nodded, she hadn't been sure she wanted the two to meet anyhow. Although Kate thought that Caroline would be ever the gracious host and that she may even like Richard, something else told her that it would be an uncomfortable performance for each of them to sit through.

"Yes. You'll have to come and visit." Hollow words.

"Sure. When we get back, when things have calmed down..." When pigs fly.

"Great." Kate grinned and nodded, heaving herself up from her seat as her guest did the same.

"Lovely house..." He commented on his way out. The polite chit chat of strangers.

Richard paused on the doorstep.

"I am happy for you Kate." He said seriously. "You've got everything you ever wanted."

His words terrified Kate, she froze in fear, he was right of course, she was so close, a few short breaths away from having her dream. The woman she loved, the child she had longed for.

Richard stepped up close to her again and took her in his strong arms. He smelled as he always had and she remembered the times he had held her, comforted her, again and again. She also recalled how much it had hurt when she had gone to him for that comfort and he had turned her away, too much in pain himself to give anything away.

Kate squeezed his shoulders and pulled back. She let let him go. She closed the door on him and on her old life. She went straight upstairs and took up the new chair in the nursery, pulling a soft woolen blanket around herself and falling asleep with a tear streaked face, only to be woken when her new love returned.

A/N- Thank you for reading. X


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